sklarek



Aug. 8, 1933. c;-sKLAREK D'IRIGIBLE 'LIGHT Filed Svept. 29, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 sZ/Mwsv M Nk, NSN

K: 'v dan@ Aug. 8, 1933. c. sKLAREK 1,921,784

DIRIG'IBLE LIGHT Filed Sept. 29, 1930 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 8, 1933. c. sKLAREK DIRIGIBLE LIGHT Filed sept. 29, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 /W /f/ /ff @j um /J/ /33 240 gf `,rammed Aug. `s, 19333 f UNITED STATES PATENT orgies i 1,921,784 a DIRIGIBLE LIGHT Clifford Sklarek, Chicago, lill., assignor to Inter-v national ASpotlight Corporaion,

a Corpcration of c Illinois Chicago, Ill.,

Application September 29, 193i) Y Serial No. 485,301

4; Claims. `(o1. 240461.13)

March 5, 1929;`No. 1,747,739 of February 18, 1930,

and 1,906,489: issued May 2, 1933. Generally speaking, the typeof dirigible lightshown in said patentsis particularly adapted for inside control,`

that is, the lamp proper is on the outsideof the superstructure ofthe automobile or other vehicle andthe operating yrnechanisrnincluding the i electricalcontrols are onthe inside of the superstructure) Said dirigwible lights comprise, broadly,

about its individual axis. v c s lights is further characterized by the use of means,

head and `handle housings rigidly connected by-a tube adapted to `bepassed through the superstructure; a.y lamp `carrying `casing rotatably mounted on 4the head housing about an axis per--w pendicular to the axis of the connecting tube; a handle rotatably mounted on the handle housing at an angleto theraXis ofthe connecting` tubeygeared operating mechanism from the han-y dle.v through thel connectingv tube and to the lamp head casing forr rotating the latter about its axis, thehandle being :also adapted to rotate the entire assembly about the axis of the connecting tube;

and electrical circuits controlled by a switch'in the handle housing, Which'electrical circuits are operative in any adjusted position of the parts and continuously'throughout any desired amount` of rotation of the entireassembly or lamp casing preferably in the formof springs, for compensating for anywear of `theparts and for taking up slack which may be occasioned by permissible in` accuracies in manufacture, extended use and/or.

i' ber of,parts'easily assembled Withoutthe aid of any special tools or devices andlwhere'in the cost of parts and labor for'assembling are reduced vto a minimum.

Another object of the present invention is to` provide an inside controllable, dirigible light for automobiles and other automotive vehicle use wherein the lamp head or casing is universally adjustable and operated from aninside, single controlled handleA with continuous electrical circuits `to the lamp proper, which circuits are conafter following.

Said type of dirigible trolled by afnovel switch adjacent Vthe handle,"the lamp `head assembly and the handle assembly? being so constituted that all therespective parts thereof may be readily assembled, onewiththe other, by hand and the use of a screw driver and 69 simple Wrench only, provision being-made in the several parts `and mode of assembly to compensate for perr'nissible variations in manufacture and also to compensate for wear on, any of the movable parts. K I l Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims herein- In the drawings, forming a part of ythis specin :u cation, Figure 1 is a part vertical, sectional View, part elevational view'illustrating a dirigible light `emboding my improvements,` certain parts being broken away in order to better illus.-` trate parts. Figure 2 is a sectional view illustrating more particularly the parts enter-1 ing into the handle assembly. Figure 3 is a dia-l i -grainmatic View illustrating the several elements entering into the lamp headassembly and with the several parts so disposed as to illustrate clearly the method of` assembly thereof. In this diagrammatic or composite figure, the lamp casing is shown in section and the remaining parts in elevation. And Figure 4 is a View similar toFig ure Sfillustrating diagrammatically the-several elements entering into the handle assernbly,uthe` parts being illustrated, separated and in such manner as to best indicate the mode of assembly thereof. Y l

In said drawings, 50 indicates a hollow `lamp head housing; 51 a hollow handle housingy the same being rigidly connected by a tube 52 of .suitable length, depending upon the superstructure of the vehicle on which the light is to be mounted and through which superstructure the tube 52 is adapted to be passed. Carried by the tube 52 is an inside bracket 53 having arms `5ft-54 adapted to be screwed or otherwise attached to the inside of the superstructure Wall, said bracket 53 being-adjustably frictionally held on the tube, 52 by suitable 4means such as the screws 55, ar 100 ranged to adjust the irictional grip, as will be l understood.. To the outer side of the superstruc-` ture Wall or partition on which the light `,is to be mounted is secured an outside pressed metal bracket V56, having a ball section 5'? cooperable` with a correspending ball section 58 at lthe inner end of the head housing 50,'Whereby the light may be adjusted to different `angles with respect i to the vehicle superstructure. A frictional grip,

is applied betweenthe two ballsections` 57 and 5311.110 c by means of a beu nur 5s threaded on the tube 52 within the bracket 56.

Referring first to the head assembly, illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, the head housing 50 is formed with a threaded, vertically extending opening 60 in which is screwed a sleeve 61 havingl a bearing 62 and a horizontal shoulder 63 therebelow. Rotatably mounted in the'sleeve 61 is the hollow sleeve or journal 64 of a bevel gear 65, the latterY providing an upwardly facing shoulder 66 opposed to the sleevepshoulder A68. The sleeve section 64 of the gear is of reduced diameter, as indicated at 6'7, at its upper end, thus iorminga second upthrough the gear'64--65 is a sleevebolt '75 hav-- ing a Vnon-circular viiange '76 Yat the bottom, Va shank `'7'7 conforming to' the recess portionl'70 of the bevel gear, and an upper bolt 78 Vof reduced diameter. thereof provided with `two portions '79 and'SO of larger and smaller diameter respectively and Within which is received an insulating sleeve 81 Yhaving a lower Vportion 82 or size and section corresponding to the recessed portion '79, and an upper section 83 of reduced diameter extending loosely through and beyond the 'portion 80 of the recess of the sleeve bolt 75.

The insulating sleeve 81 is in turn interiorlyl recessed so as toV provide a lower portion 84 of larger diameter and an upper elongated portion 85 of smaller diameter. The recess 84-85 is in turnadapted to receive and accommodate with free vertical movement the enlarged en d 86 and' smaller threaded shank 87 respectively of a contact plunger. A spring 88 is mounted on the shank A8'7 lofthe Acontact plunger and adapted to be vinterposed between the shoulder 89 of said plunger and the corresponding opposed shoulder 90 of the insulating sleeve 81. J f

The parts of the head assembly thusY far described in detail are assembled in the following manner. The spring 88 is rst slid over the shank of the contact plunger and the latter then inserted Withinthe insulating'sleeve 81. The insulating sleeve 81 is then inserted vertically Within the sleeve bolt '75. inserted vertically within-the bevel gear v641-435, which yhas slipped over the bearing section 64 thereof, la coil spring 91. These parts are then inserted within the bearing sleeve 61 and a washer l92 applied to the upper reduced end 6'? of the gear 64-65. The extended upper ends of the gear V641-675, sleeve bolt 75, insulating sleeve 81 and Contact plunger 86-8'7 are 'then passed vertically through the perforation '74 of the lamp casing '72, whereupon a cup washer 93 is put in place and the parts nally vclamped andlocked together by a nut 94screwed on to 'the upper end of the sleeve bolt '75, the completed assembly being shown in Figure 1. In this manneigit is evi-Y dent that the lamp casing is tightly clamped to the gear 64--65 and will rotate in unison ,therewith, as will also the sleeve bolt, insulating sleeve and Contact plunger. Further, slack and any.l Ywear are compensated for by the spring 91 which Y Willbe placed under an initial compression so` 'that' the parts cannot `become'loose and vibrate.

This assembly may then be attached to the head Y housing 50 by screwing home the bearing sleeve The sleeve bolt 7 5 has the interiorr The latter in turn isv then 61 as by the use or av Spanner wrench cooperating with the Spanner holes 95.

Stillreferring to Figures l and 3, the lamp casing '72 is shown as provided witha reflector 195, sealing gasket 9 6 and lens 97 all heldin place by asuitable clamping ring 98. AkiallvV adjustable with respect to the reflector 195 is a socket shell 99 having a reduced outer end 10G interiorly threaded to receive the shank of a screw 101, the headA of which is exposed at the rear of the casing '72 and is adapted to be seated in a counter-sink 102. The shank ofthe screw 101 is apertured to receive the cotter 103, which retains a Washer 104 in place, a spring 105 being interposed between said washer and the casing '72, as clearly shown in the drawings, whereby by adjusting the screw 101 the axial position of the socket shell 99 may be adjusted to properly focus the ylamp -proper` 105 with respect tothe preferably parabolic relector -1-95 and still maintain all `of the parts taut and free'from vibration with respect to the lamp casing '72.

The lamp proper orv bulb 106 may be'of 'any well known commercial type arranged for bayonet socket attachment to the socket shell 99 and havinga contact point 10'7 at its inner end. To provide the A'electrical connection from thecontact plunger 86-7-8'7, insulatedwirer108'iseinployed, the lower end of which is free o i thejinsulation and placed in electrical contact-.with the plunger by being passed through apertures in a nut 109 and screwed down against'the upper fend of the contact plunger. The wire l108Y is run lll) through an aperture 1110 vthe Vshell 99iand :the

other end thereof with the insulation removed i'sjnserted within a tapered contact threaded plug 1-1'1 adapted to be passed through a tapered open-r ing AinV an insulator washer `1.1-2v and' secured and squeezed by a nut 118 applied to thet'nreaded end of* the plug. With `this, construction, 4the end ofthe wire 108 is securely clamped in place without solder and the nut lljforms the elec,-

trical connection with the contact 187 oflthebulb the parts being insulated from the shell 99 by the insulating washer 112. The'nut 113 is yieldingly heldin contact with the bulb by a suitable spring 114 interposed between the washer v1'12ancl 1 the neck of the shell 99. v I

Referring next to the handle assembly, shown in Figuresy 2 and 4l, the handle housing 51 is shown as having a vertical threaded ,opening 115 intoV which is adapted to be threaded a bearing 116, Vthe latter having a depending Vhollow sleeve 11'7 with an annular recessl18 therearound on the underside of the bearing. On its upper side, the kbearing 116 has the opening enlarged, Vas indicated "at 119, .to form a shoulder 120 against which seats a coil spring 121.

The handle proper is indicated at 122, thesaine having a central aperture 123 tapered at 'its 'lower end, as indicated Vat 124, and enlarged atits upper end, as indicated at 125. Adapted to be received within the opening 12S-124 is the lower portion ci a Yshank 126 formed integral with a bevelY vgear 127, the klower end of lsaid ishank portion l124i of the recess so as to effect rotation of the gear 12'7 simultaneously with the rotation of the handle'122. One or more shims 128 are arranged to be employed between the upper-,end of the handle 122 andthe bearing 116, said shiins seating within the recess 1-1'8 and their number or thickness vcompensating for any Vabeing tapered to non-rotatably nt `the tapered' fio riaticms` infmanufacture of the parts and particularly with reference to length of the shank lof the gear'l27and its operative position relative to `al cooperating transmitting bevel gear` 129,hereinaffter referred to.` i

bled, they may be applied to handle housing 51 `by screwing the Ybearing `116 in place, preferablybya Spanner wrenchcwacting with spanner openings 132.

' The switch assembly, also shown in Figures 2 and 4, includes a lead-iny block 133 of balrelite or other suitable insulatingfmaterial adapted to be inserted endwise in an opening 134 `provided in the outerend ci vthe handle housing 5l. In this connection, to prevent improper assembly of the lead-in block and handle` housing, the former is preferably provided with two diametrically disposed lugs lfand 135 of different widths, cooperable with corresponding width slots 137 formed at the outer end of the handle housing 51. The lead-in block is secured in place by suitable means, Vsuch as the screws 13S- 138, which also secure a hollow sheet metal cover 139 for the rotor knob `140, hereinafter-described.

Electric current from any suitable source, such as the batteryof the'car, is brought to the leadin block 133 by a suitable insulated wire 141,` which is entered through an opening 242 of the handle housing 5l. `'Ihe interior end of said wire 141 has the insulation thereon removed and is soldered or sweated to a small brass ring 142 rotor '140, alsoV preferably of bakelite and Within which is housed a centrally disposed anged brass contact element 148, said element having a re-l cessed sleeve extension 149 which extends partially Within the recess `143 of the lead-in block and within which is accommodated the outer end GIS of the spring 147.` Onc center, the rotor `140 is recessed, as indicated at 150, to receive a contact plunger 151 having a reduced shank 152 over which is assembled a spring 153.` The shank 152 has electrical contact with the contact element 148 and said plunger is obviously normally always urged toward the contact 142 of the lead-in block. As will be evident, upon rotation of the rotor 140, the contact plunger `151 will be brought into and out of contact with the contact button 142 of the lead-in block, thus making and breaking the circuit, depending upon the angular position of the rotor 140,. The latter has its exterior of reduced f the latter is provided with a segmental recess 155 1 Von the face opposite thelead-in block and the, latter is provided With a cooperatingsegmental The parte of the handle thus specifically de#4 lug `156 of smallerfsize so vthat the rotor will be stopped at either vlimit of its throw in either contact position or off position. l l* Rotatably mounted within'the tubular` connec-` tion 52 is a hollow shaft' 157. to the leithand end of` which, as viewed in Figure 1, is rigidly secured a bevel gear158 adapted to cooperatewith the bevel gear 65.. Secured within the hollow shaft 157 at the lefthand end, as viewed inFigure 1, is a` cylindrical contact 159 adapted `to have` rotatable Contact with the lowerend of the plunger {S6-L87, which is yieldingly heldin contact therewith by the springvSS; said Contact 159 being insulatedl from the shaftl157, as indicatedatl 160. At its opposite end,.the shaft 157. is provided withra similar contact element 161 insulated with respect thereto and projectingl endwise therefrom.:'` Said shaft 157 has its end of square or 'other' non-` that the spring 121 serves to maintain the two bevel gears 127 and 129 in proper mesh without slack or blacklash.

.With the construction hereinbefore described,

it is evident that Ieliminate allso'ldering in the electrical connections with the one exception of the lead-in Wire to the lead-in block 133. Further, variations in manufacture of the parts and compensation for wear are obtained in thel head assemblyby reasonof the construction hereinbefore described in detail.Y In connection4 with the electrical connection extending lfrom one end of the shaft 157 to the other end (the two contact elements 159 and 161 being electrically connected by a suitable ,wire), it will be evident that any variation in thelength of saidshaft and consequently variation in the location of the righthand end of the Contact element 161, will be automatically compensated for by the spring pressed contact plunger 145 in the switch assembly. In case of adjustment of the parts or repairs or replacements, it is. evident that the entire'head assembly including the bearing sleevel, may be removed Without disturbing any of the other parts or taking the light from the superstructure. "Similarly, the entire switch assembly may be removed from the handle housing 51 byA simply taking out the screws 138 and without disturbing any of the other parts of the light. Also, the handle assembly may be taken out and adjustments and substitutions made WithoutV disturbing any of the other parts of the light. From the preceding description, it will'also be seen that all of the parts may be assembled in a very simple manner and than a screw driver `and wrench or pliers for screwing home the several nuts or threaded sleeve bearings. of the type indicated, comprises a minimum `number of parts and minimum cost of labor for assembling while retaining all of the desirable features of compensation for inaccuracies of manufacture and take-up, due to wear of the parts.

I have herein shown and described whatv Ir now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same ismerely illus- The arrangement, for' a dirigible light isc` Y quickly without the aid of any special tools other` 'trative and I contemplate all Vchanges andfmodibearing sleeve, said expansible `means :automatically .taking up wear betweenrsaid unit and ,bearingsleeve; a handle carried by .the handle heus.-

ing; and operating -means betweenfsaid :handle and gear `foreiecting rotation ,of `.the latter. v

, 2. In a vdirigible light, the .combination with longitudinally separated Yheadaml handle ,housings rigidly associated by a .tubular connection; of a bearing sleeve mounted inthe head housing; a, gear journaled Vin said sleeve; .a .Sleeve bolt longitudinally insertible ,withinthe gear; .a ilamp carrying casing rigidly secured .to lsaid .gear and bolt vto rotate in Aunison therewith; an insulating sleeve extending through said :bolt and .within said casing; a Contact plungerextending:through said insulating :sleeve and within the casing; .an electrical `conductor'extending from thetend of said plunger vto the lamp; a rotanycontactxeicfment extending throughsaid tubular .connection and'cooperable with said Contact plunger; a han'- dle carried by the .handle housing; andoperating means between Vthe handle and gear Vfor effectl ing rotation of .the latter. l Y 3. In a dirigible light Shaving a head housing, vthe combination with a bearing sleeve removably attached to .thev head housing; a gear .insertible endwise within said sleeve and .rotatable therein; a sleeve vbolt insertible endwise within the an insulating sleeve xinsertible endwise within the bolt; a

gear and Vrotatable therewith;

contact plunger insertible endwise within the insulating sleeve; a spring interposed between thehearing sleeve and gear; a spring interposed- Ybetween; said Contact plunger and insulating sleeve; a lamp carrying casing; and means for rigidly connecting said casing with the gear to rotate in unison therewith.

4. In a .dirigiblelight, the combination with longitudinally separated-head' and handle hous-` ings rigidly associated by a tubularconnection;

of'a bearing sleeve mounted in said handle hous- K the extended portion of the journal shank, said handle havingv a shoulder adapted to lcooperate with said exterior shoulder of the bearing sleeve.

' CLIFFORD SKLAREK. 

